A Son's Duty
by Bleach-ed-Na-tsu
Summary: Sequel to 'A father's Pride'; Tsuna wasn't always aware of it, but somewhere inside him he knew it was there. Something warm and soft, if not always really there. He had never had faith in his father, always close to forgetting his face before his sudden and short arrival back in his life; but that was okay, because Tsuna didn't' need a father when he had a wonderful daddy.


**Well, I was asked by ' ' to write a reply to Giotto's thoughts from Tsuna's point of view, because as pointed out to me, Tsuna was obviously aware of Giotto. So I did just that as an apology and hopefully kick-start to all the chapters of my other stories that have not been so easy to write at this point in time.**

* * *

Summary: Tsuna wasn't always aware of it, but somewhere inside him he knew it was there. Something warm and soft, if not always really there. He had never had faith in his father, always close to forgetting his face before his sudden and short arrival back in his life; but that was okay, because Tsuna didn't' need a father when he had a wonderful daddy.

* * *

A son's Duty

* * *

It was a significant part of Tsuna that told him he had a duty. Something he heard Takeshi talk about all the time, and something he rarely, if ever got to express for himself.

It made him feel like something was missing, something large, and quantifiable.

He felt like he was missing that duty given to a son at birth by his father to fulfil while his father was alive. The duty of a son.

Now, while Tsuna thought about that, he knew it wasn't totally true, because it wasn't missing, it was simply directed to a source not so typical. Not physical as a stone is physical, but not imaginative as a thought might be described as.

Since Tsuna was young and aware of everything around him he had had wonderful people in his life. He had a wonderful, doting mother, and later in life siblings and friends. He even had a wonderful, warm, supportive father; but he wasn't allowed to tell anyone about him.

It started when he was young, he remembered his mother telling him, whispering when she thought he was sleeping, how happy and proud she was that Tsuna was her son, because he was a miracle to her and she could never be disappointed in him.

He didn't understand that of course, what a 'miracle' was or how he, clumsy, silly, innocent Tsuna could be that 'miracle'. But Tsuna smiled anyway and loved his mother and tried to be everything she wanted him to be.

But Tsuna did miss his father. He saw the man, from time to time, when his mother was just at the point of breaking, or when Tsuna just started to lose that fussy image of the man in his head. He would appear, rush to him wife's side and cuddle her silly before trying to do the same to Tsuna; but Tsuna never buckled, especially when that sad, angered expression would wash upon his daddy in the far corner of the room.

Since Tsuna was very young he had felt a kind of warmth around him all the time. It was fussy at first, simply a foggy memory of a shape in the background. He remembered whispered words and the promise of a hug and comfort when he needed it. It wasn't until later that Tsuna learned this shape was not his imagination, and not a shape.

The man was warm; he was always somewhat translucent and somewhat sad. He would stand in the corner of the room when others were with Tsuna. When they were alone in Tsuna's room or in the backyard he was closer always encouraging and easy-tempered. Tsuna very quickly came to respect and look forward- even expect- the man's company. He would even go off on his own just to get more time with the man. Tsuna's mother worried of course, because surely a four year old shouldn't be so reclusive- the man looked sad when his mother said that and it hurt Tsuna to see him upset.

However, every time Tsuna tried to tell him mother a flash would burn through him and tell him to stay quiet about the man; from there it stayed his secret.

Tsuna noticed that often of course, that flash of, something. When he needed to decide something, or wanted to say something, warmth- like the man- would flash through him to direct him. Tsuna learned to listen, especially when the man's eyes would flash at the same time. Pride was what Tsuna later learned that flash in the golden eyes was called.

His father appeared again- _oh now I remember what he looks like -_ and with him came an old man with an aged face but a bursting roaring aura that was so much more abrasive than his daddy's. Tsuna hit at first, not really sure what to make of him. Especially since his daddy didn't look happy about the man's intrusion in their home.

Eventually Tsuna found that he trusted the old man –his grandfather was what his father demanded Tsuna call the older gentleman- Tsuna even played with him and asked him to read him stories. But one day Tsuna was playing and he fell over.

Tsuna was bawling his eyes out, the old man, Timotei, didn't move immediately, because he was shocked at what he was seeing. There had been this feeling around young Tsunayoshi the entire visit, but now that the boy was distressed Timotei was able to almost see the outline of a young man giving the boy comfort. It was strange to see, but he saw a mouth moving with comforting words he couldn't hear.

"_There there son, it doesn't hurt that much right? Jut calm down and do what I taught you."_

It was both a blessing and a curse that Tsuna was able to circulate the flames born from Giotto's interference- not that Tsuna knew that for the longest of time- because as Tsuna let the flames spark around him and calm him Timotei called Iemitsu and both wore faces of immediate seriousness.

Tsuna cried more harshly when he was picked up and the flames were forced away. It felt wrong, his dad told him never to force his flames, and it burned and itched in that horrible way, he watched his Daddy's face scrunch up with distance as Nono bound the flames within his body; Tsuna immediately knew his daddy was right and that this Iemitsu was no longer his father if he made his daddy angry like that.

Later that night Giotto explained in hushed tones to Tsuna –he would forget the conversation for years- exactly what had happened and how sorry he was. Tsuna of course simply cuddled into his daddy's lap and took warmth form the soothing hands on his head; he knew his daddy didn't know that Tsuna could feel him, but Tsuna was fine getting the comforting anyway he could.

Tsuna started school and things took a turn. He was bullied and tormented for his looks and his clumsiness. Ever since that man had arrived, and his daddy had gotten mad, Tsuna hadn't quite felt right. But he didn't say anything to his mommy, because she was so happy that Tsuna got along with his 'grandfather'. That didn't take the pain of the bullying away though. He'd come home covered in bruises and scratches, and his mother would believe him when he said he fell over; his daddy wouldn't though. Every time Tsuna cried the man would cuddle him, and each time Tsuna grabbed a handful of the man's pretty, dark clothing- the cape was Tsuna's favourite blanket- the man would look astounded and simply hug his boy closer. Keeping him safe and warm.

"_I promise, Tsuna, that it'll get better soon."_

Tsuna grew, he grew leaner, and more and more like his dad and nothing like Iemitsu. He always felt that presence, but as he grew older he was grieved to find that the man he called dad became more and more distant, it made Tsuna sad, but he took it as a sign that he needed to show his independence and so he did just that, never forgetting the warmth of his child-hood or the promise of comfort in the man's arms should he really need it one day, any day.

Then Reborn arrived, the baby who seemed to evict fear and respect in Tsuna with every word and breath. He forced the flames back out of Tsuna and Tsuna was forced to remember the pain of the suppression and the conversation late at night; he finally remembered exactly where that mild-hate for Iemitsu stemmed from and why he lost all respect for the man.

For the year Tsuna feared and cowered from Reborn, trying to hide from his words and actions. Though, every evening a warm, comforting rush would envelop Tsuna s he cried and pleaded with a god he didn't believe or deny existed asking 'why him'. Tsuna knew it was Giotto, the man he once called 'daddy' but less embarrassingly now would call 'dad', was comforting him. Tsuna even heard the whispered encouragement. Once, when Tsuna was just on the brink of consciousness he even heard the old boss ask him, and beg of him. _"Please, Tsuna, forgive me. I did not intend for you to have to take this position; I never would have imagined this was the fate awaiting you when I decided to act. But please, if you intend to take your blood-rite fix Vongola."_

It was probably completely subconscious, bur from that moment Tsuna worked to be Vongola Decimo, but he did not work towards Non's ideals, or even the ideal of Dino and later the ideal of Shimon. Tsuna worked to learn of Primo, learned of their history, their ideal; their purpose. If Tsuna was going to call Giotto his dad then he was completely ready to put that name to practice and make Vongola what it was intended to be.

It wasn't so much Reborn's constant assurance and training that got Tsuna through the darkest, most depressing days as he learnt to be a boss, and it certainly wasn't the man who supposedly gave him life. It was Giotto who taught Tsuna right and wrong, taught him love and compassion, and gave him the strength to move on and stand up when that weight of the famiglia his dad started toppled in just the right direction to bring Tsuna to his knees. Giotto would crouch down to Tsuna's side and would help balance him again with a comforting pat or a tight embrace; he never took the burden from Tsuna, he had worn it once already and he knew that babying Tsuna would only lead to his death later in life, instead Giotto taught Tsuna; and in turn Tsuna respected and loved Giotto more deeply and wholly for it.

During the insanity of the future Tsuna saw neither hide nor hair of his dad, and at points in time when his guardians turned up wounded and tired it drove him close to delirious because he didn't have that pillar of support to help him stand. He would run around the complex in the future just trying to find his dad, and at night when not even Reborn was awake he would hold his ring to his chest and beg his daddy to come out and hold him, to help him.

Depression overwhelmed him and he snapped and sulked, he was miserable. Soon enough he kicked himself in the face and got himself together; his dad had taught him better lessons than that, and Tsuna was not about to disgrace his father with such childish antics.

Though, Tsuna would not deny the pure joy and relief and comfort that flooded him and threatened collapse when he saw his dad appear from the ring and give him his blessing. When his ring was released it was as if his dad had passed the cornet, as if he had reached some rite-of-passage. It was euphoric for Tsuna to think that he had passed his dad's test.

Then Shimon happened, Tsuna met a boy much like himself, with a ghost for a dad and a scarred confused heart. His dad was quiet and distant during the whole fiasco and Tsuna knew it was another test. Of course, he passed it and Tsuna was pleased to see the warm, happy smile flood his dad's face when he and the red-headed man hugged in a warm, close embrace that spoke miles about their bond and exactly what they had been though in their living past and dead present. Evident in his dad's eyes the entire time was a pride and love Tsuna knew he would get only from Giotto and could never be replaced in Tsuna's entire life.

When Tsuna was older, the future fiasco, Shimon conflict and crazy Arcobaleno business all over and done, Tsuna found himself in the twisted position of dying by the bullet of a man who was surely already dead. It was then, scared of living and scared of dying that he first let his dad know exactly how aware he was of his existence and exactly what influence he had in Tsuna's life. Tsuna will never forget the amazing, grieving, beautiful expression on the ghost's face when Tsuna apologised for dying, and for not letting Giotto watching another grandson be born.

For all that it was worth, Tsuna's life was twisted, bloodied, sorrowful and filled with people Tsuna was glad were in his life and people he would trade out for a mere moment longer with his guardians should the time come for them to separate. But for all of that Tsuna's one reason for living was to fulfil a duty he felt was given to him the moment he was born into the world. Throughout his entire life he never felt he fulfilled that duty, and not even all of the prideful, wonderfully joyous glances of his dad could make him feel that.

However, it was during Tsuna's coronation that he felt complete. Because for the first time in his short life he felt that he had finally done his duty. Others could not see it, could not feel the hands upon his back smoothing the mantle upon his shoulders and loosening that tension that naturally came to him when he was the center of attention. Tsuna could, because his dad was handsome and smart and arrogantly proud in that suitable way and was standing next to him physically as a hug would feel from a father.

Of course Tsuna was not a fool, having a warmth and constant companion and support was not enough for a growing teenager who needed physical touch. Somewhere along the way Tsuna thinks that Giotto realised that too, because he saw the ghost smiling happily when Reborn would ruffle Tsuna's brown-untamed hair or when the brunette broke and cried into Reborn's chest when no one was looking. Of course there was a price to having two role models who were so controversial to the norm, and that was the fact that Tsuna had to share Reborn with all his other guardians who needed the same strict, warm role model in their lives to make up for the lack of paternal figures in their own lives. Tsuna was okay with that, he didn't have to share Giotto, his dad with anyone. He didn't even have to tell anyone about his dad, that was his little prideful secret.

Of course, Tsuna may never know why _exactly_ it is that he looks nothing of Iemitsu but everything of Giotto, and he may never know what kind of gracious fate let him have two dads in the form of ghostly interference and demon encounter; but Tsuna was blessed and finally happy with his achievement.

When he took his seat on the throne and took the position he learnt from his dad, and let the smirk take its place on his lips he learnt from his other dad Tsuna knew it then and there. Tsuna saw Reborn light up with pride without hiding it behind that omniscient fedora, happy to see his 'son-student' finally take his place, and Tsuna watched the appreciation and fierce, overwhelming pride in Giotto's own flaming hues of orange knowing that he had finally done it.

He had finally fulfilled his duty as a son to his fathers by becoming their one and only pride.

* * *

**Well there you go. Here is the sequel, but not the end. This I have decided will be a drabble series that will contain little instances of interaction between Giotto and Tsuna after Tsuna is sixteen and Giotto is aware that his 'son' knows about him.**

* * *

**Please review! This is a sorry for not updating anything else -_-'**

**Thank you for reading!**

**~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3**


End file.
